Help Rebuild in New Orleans at This Year's Conference

(Jan. 12, 2009) As part of AFP’s International Conference on Fundraising you can spend time volunteering to aid restoration efforts of communities devastated in the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.

There are several opportunities for conference participants to donate time, energy and support to help people rebuild their communities. There is also a tour available for you to visit areas of the city that have been restored thanks to volunteer efforts.

The AFP Day of Service, as well as a workshop event by The Center for Black Philanthropy, will take place Saturday, March 28. The New Orleans Philanthropy Tour happens that day as well. There is also a special fund that has been set up by the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy that will give AFP membership to deserving New Orleans fundraisers.

See below for more details on these events and opportunities to help fully restore the great city of New Orleans.

AFP Day of ServiceSaturday, March 28, 2009, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans' Rebuilding Together program offers a hands-on volunteer experience to repair the storm-damaged home of a low-income, elderly or disabled homeowner. A professional team captain will supervise the work. This house will be referred to as the home rebuilt by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. You may sign up on the conference website or on the registration form. Transportation and lunch will be provided.

Philanthropy in New Orleans Bus TourSaturday, March 28, 2009, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.Departure from Convention Center (Halls I & J)$45 per personThis tour is an opportunity for you to see firsthand how fundraising and philanthropy have helped restore New Orleans. The tour includes roundtrip transportation via motor coach departing the Convention Center near Halls I & J and taking you on your way to discover the Ninth Ward, City Park, and the International School of Louisiana. There will also be a briefing from a volunteer organization representative. This tour is $45 per person, and you can sign up online or on your registration form (a small subsidy has been added for a donation to the AFP Foundation/New Orleans fund).

Hands-On Philanthropy DayHosted by The National Center for Black Philanthropy Inc. Saturday, March 28, 2009During the 46th International Conference on Fundraising, The National Center for Black Philanthropy will be working with the Louisiana Recovery Development Foundation and two local community agencies to develop a volunteer program that will have meaning beyond the few days of the conference. Preliminary plans call for special workshops to be offered outside the conference someplace in the local community. The training will be followed with one-on-one consultations and technical assistance with volunteers. Attendees will again have the option of making a financial contribution to the agencies the volunteers work with. Additional plans are also being developed. Click here for NCBP conference information.

Support the Fundraisers of New OrleansThe AFP for Philanthropy/New Orleans FundIf you cannot participate in any of the above programs but want to give back to the people of New Orleans, you can make a donation to the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy/ New Orleans Fund. This fund will offer to deserving fundraisers of New Orleans the benefit of AFP membership. Also, a library consisting of 36 books on philanthropy and fundraising will be donated to the fundraising community in New Orleans. The library embodies the fundamental knowledge base of the fundraising profession. A donation may be made on the conference registration form in step 5, or you can click here to donate online today.

Register now for AFP’s 46th International Conference on Fundraising, happening March 29-April 1, 2009, in New Orleans, Louisiana.